The Mac OS X Finder

The basic purpose of the Finder under Mac OS X is the same as it has always
been; the Finder is the Mac application that provides the desktop, enables you
to work with folders and files, and provides the basic interface for interacting
with the system. The Finder does look quite a bit different than it did under
previous versions of the OS, and it offers many more features, but most of the
basic tasks work in the same or very similar ways. These tasks include those
that you use to view and navigate Finder windows. In addition to its new
appearance, the Mac OS X Finder also offers better views, more customization
options, and more tools.